


Cuddles are the best medicine

by Just_morefandomtrash



Series: Exploration of the self [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Blankets, Gender Dysphoria, Nonbinary Character, Other, concerned JJ, nonbinary Leo de la Iglesia, stubborn Ji Guang-Hong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-11-01 03:09:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10913088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_morefandomtrash/pseuds/Just_morefandomtrash
Summary: Panic ensues when Leo doesn't answer their phone-----TW for gender dysphoria-----Cross-posted on Wattpad (@whattheship)





	Cuddles are the best medicine

**Author's Note:**

> Leo uses they/them pronouns  
> Nonbinary Leo de la Iglesia x Guang-Hong Ji

When Guang-Hong woke up, he knew something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Bolting upright, he scrambled around for his phone, almost ripping the charger out of the socket in his haste. He blinked as the screen lit up, scolding himself for not turning it down like he said he would.

And there was the problem.

_No good morning text from Leo._

**G: Morning Leo!**

**G: Leo?**

**G: Everything okay over there?**

**G: You haven't gone to the rink already have you?**

With no responses from his partner who was always up early, even on days off, panic began to set in. Leo always had their phone nearby, no matter what. And now they weren't responding, leaving him in a country he was still getting used to with no guidance.

Wait... wasn't JJ training at the same rink as them for the off season? And didn't he have his number somewhere 'in case of emergencies'? Flicking through his contacts, he sighed in relief as he found a number saved under **_The King._** Of course JJ would _sa_ _ve_ it under that. After a few tense moments as the phone rang, he sighed in relief for the second time in about three minutes as a sleepy voice came from the speaker.

 _"Hello?_ _It's_ _like... six in the morning_ _isn't_ _it_ _?"_  
"No JJ, it's half eight and Leo isn't answering their phone."  
_"Guang-Hong? Hold on_ _I'm_ _awake totally, Isabella please no_ _don't_ _hit_ _me_ _with a pillow this is an emergency._ _I'll_ _be back to cuddle soon, let me just take care of this. Okay, so,_ _they're_ _not answering their phone?"_  
"No, and they haven't texted me good morning. JJ they never miss a text w-"  
" _You two are so domestic it puts_ _Victuuri_ _to shame at_ _times_ _but_ _that's_ _besides the point. Every morning you say?"_  
"Yes, they've never missed it before and I don't know what to do!"  
_"Please, stay calm. You know where they live right?"_  
"Y-yes... JJ what's going on? Is Leo okay? D-"  
_"Leo needs you to be calm Guang-Hong. Listen, it_ _doesn't_ _happen often and_ _perhaps_ _I'm_ _not the best person_ _to_ _explain_ _this, but there are days where Leo_ _doesn't_ _feel... right? I think_ _that's_ _how_ _they_ _explained it to me. Otabek probably would_ _be_ _better at explaining, he has a way with words but_ _he's_ _training in Russia."_

He heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the phone and some shuffling. Assuming JJ was moving somewhere, he settled into his nest of blankets. No matter where he went, he always took at least three. Even if they ended up on the floor.

 _"Okay..._ _I_ _have a list here of their favourite movies_ _and_ _comfort food. You_ _don't_ _happen to have a copy_ _of_ _Big Hero 6 do you?"_  
"Um... hold on. I'll check."

Wrapping his blankets around him tightly, he rolled off the bed and onto the beanbag next to it. Rather than getting up, he rolled the short distance to the dvd cabinet. Sitting up, he scanned the shelves for the disk he knew that he had somewhere. Somewhere was always a- no there it was.

"Yeah."  
_"Did you... are you okay?"_  
"I have three blankets and a beanbag next to my bed so I'm good. Any other films I should pick up?"  
_"Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are old favourites."_  
"Got them."  
_"Add any Marvel films too. They love them. As for food_ _um_ _... no Isabella,_ _I'm_ _not_ _finished, give me like, three minutes okay? And back, cookies."_  
"Cookies?"  
_"Yeah, just avoid ones_ _with_ _almonds in. They hate_ _almonds_ _. Other than that_ _you're_ _good to go._ _You'll_ _let me know_ _that_ _Leo's okay_ _won't_ _you?"_  
"Of course. Thanks JJ, I don't know what I'd have done without you."  
_"No problem. Yes_ _Bella_ _,_ _I'm_ _coming_ _now_ _. Talk to you later, bye!"_

G: I'll be over soon love  
G: we're going to take the day off

Unwrapping the blankets, he stretched and picked up the dvds that JJ had suggested. He laid the blankets down and placed them in the middle, folding them into a bundle. The buzz of his phone startled him and he scrambled after it as it slid across the floor. Cursing his carpet, he sat back and smiled.

 **L: thanks**  
**G:** **I'm** **going** **to** **call** **our coaches, grab stuff from the** **shop** **and** **I'll** **be right over**  
**G: hold tight** **please**  
**L:** **I'm** **tryihg**  
**G:** **I** **won't** **be long** **okay** **?**  
**L: pleasw come** **Ji** **I** **need ypl**  
**G:** **I'm** **coming** **okay just hold on**

Guang-Hong jumped up to his feet, snatching up the blankets and sprinted downstairs, clutching his phone to his chest. Grabbing a bag as he swung around the banister, he skidded into the kitchen, ignoring the started shriek of his coach.

"Ji?"  
"Noooo not today, more important things to deal with and how'd you get into my house anyway?"  
"I've got a key. What's with all the fuss?"  
"Leo and I aren't coming to practice. Ah, there are the cookies!"

Climbing onto his kitchen side, he threw the cookies into his bag, ignoring his coach's worried protests. As an afterthought, he grabbed a packet of mini rolls. Closing the cupboard, he walked along the side to the microwave, stretching to reach the doritos at the back. Placing the food in his bag, he hopped down, still protesting about something.

"Guang-Hong Ji, stop this instant."  
"Instance. And nope, now where'd the drinks go?"  
"You and Leo are coming to practice."

With a sigh of annoyance, he rested the bottle of Pepsi he'd just found on the side and turned to face his coach. Glaring at her, he pushed down the urge to stamp his foot.

"No we're not. It's the off season, we don't have to train everyday. Anyway, aren't we due for a break? JJ's having a break today too."  
"Since when did you become so stubborn?"  
"Since forever."

Sitting on the floor, he took everything out of his bag before rearranging it, still tuning out his coach's protests. The blankets were a little difficult to stuff in but after some careful pushing, he zipped up his bag and lifted, testing its weight. Pushing himself up, he swung it over his shoulder. Snatching up his phone, he cradled it in his hands, reading over the texts between him and Leo.

 **G:** **I'm** **about** **to** **leave now** **I'm** **going** **to** **bike** **over**

****G: Love you** **

****L: love **you** **too thank you**** **

******G: hold **tight** **okay?**  
**L:** **I** **miss you**  
**G:** **I won't** **be** **long** **sunshine****

He looked down and realised that he was still in his pajamas. Dismissing the idea of getting changed, he grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair.

"I'm going now, which means you're going to have to leave. Leo needs me and I'm willing to sacrifice as many practice sessions as it needs to make sure they're okay."  
"Don't complain if you don't qualify for events because you've been slacking off."  
"That'd mean more time with Leo for me so I don't mind. Now shoo, out of my house!"

Rapidly motioning towards the door, his coach sighed and left, allowing him to grab his keys.

He was determined to make sure Leo felt better, no matter what.

○○○○○

When Leo woke up that morning, they knew that something was wrong.

_Their body was wrong._

And even as they sat bundled up on their sofa under a blanket, clutching their phone and reading over the text messages from their boyfriend, that sinking feeling got worse.

Something dripped onto their phone and they jumped in surprise before realising that there were tears running down their face. Angrily dabbing at them, they groaned in frustration as they just kept falling. Letting out a choked sob, they dropped their phone and wrapped the blanket around themselves tighter. They let the tears run freely now, sobs echoing in the empty room. Clenching their hands, they screamed, a short, harsh scream of pain and despair.

Some days, their body was perfect. Others, they could ignore the fact that it wasn't right.

On very rare occasions they'd break down because they couldn't handle it.

On those days, the air itself seemed suffocating, the gender norms acting like a noose when in reality their ideals and hobbies stayed the same, no matter what. Who cares if boys were supposed to like football? Who cares if girls were supposed to like ballet? Who cares as long as everyone is happy with themselves?

Except they weren't happy because there was nothing they could do to change the way their body looked. The world didn't work like that, and they couldn't correct the sports officials and reporters when they were wrong, oh so wrong about them. Even in the off season they couldn't escape the articles that commented on how their performances weren't consistent, that commented on the way they sometimes moved with feminine grace, that commented on their choice of clothes.

 _'He declined to comment_ _on_ _the image,_ _stating_ _that it was an invasion of his privacy.'_

That article in particular had been scathing, critical of the way they dressed off the ice. Another sob wracked their body, painful to the point where they were left gasping for air.

"-eathe, breathe in and out with me Leo, I'm here for you."

They reached out, latching onto Guang-Hong for dear life. He was their anchor to the world, a constant in the ever shifting tides of the world around them. Running their hand through his silky hair, they let him dry their tears. With swift motions, he pulled out a bundle from a bag on the floor and unfolded it, moving whatever was wrapped up to one side. He shook out the blankets and wrapped them around their shoulders, pressing a kiss to their cheek. They found themselves in a cocoon of blankets, the silence quickly disturbed by the sound of their boyfriend shuffling around behind the TV. Burying further into the blankets, they scrubbed at their eyes, willing their breathing to return to normal. A pair of hands wrapped around their's and they looked up to be met with the smiling face of their boyfriend. With a gentle press of their lips against their forehead, he slipped in next to them, snuggling in close and passing over a packet of cookies.

As the opening scene of Sleeping Beauty began to play, they realised that no matter what, Ji loved them.

Even when they couldn't find the words, he would always meet them halfway and help them up.

The gentle caress of his hand against their cheek, the more open display of them holding hands, and the glances they shared across the rink spoke louder than anything either could say.

And as Ji pulled them into his lap and rested his chin on their shoulder, they realised that they would have it any other way.

○○○○○

 **G:** **They're** **oka** y

With a sigh of relief, JJ lay back on the sofa and smiled.

Some stories have happy endings, and it looked like this one would too.

**Author's Note:**

> This came from a twitter thread with user @viktits and so I owe several ideas used to them


End file.
